Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner warns of changes to health insurance, higher premiums

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Oklahomans are expected to be impacted when making health insurance decisions for 2026 because of rising healthcare costs and recent policy decisions at the federal level.

The Health Insurance Marketplace is undergoing changes that will go into effect next plan year on January 1, 2026.

The enhanced premium tax credits (eAPTCs), which started during the pandemic, are set to expire at the end of this year.

"I understand these need to go away; they were intended to be temporary. I don't disagree with that. What I've been pushing for, though, is let's do a glide path," said Glen Mulready, Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner.

Mulready says he's been pushing for a slower rollout since the beginning of the year, but it hasn't gained traction with federal leaders.

He's warning Oklahomans now because they'll feel an immediate shock when it comes to their healthcare insurance and these tax credits.

"You have that happening, and it's also coupled, though, with just rising health care costs; a medical trend is up substantially post-pandemic, and so there's sort of a double hit," said Mulready.

Mulready says Oklahomans need to be prepared for their premiums to skyrocket.

"If they're making $65,000 to $70,000 for a family of four, let's say they're paying about $400 a month, that's going to go up a good $100 plus for them. Now, we're also going to see situations where there's some extreme examples where that increase to the member, the individual is going to be up to a 75 percent increase," said Mulready.

Right now, there are over 300,000 Oklahomans covered through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

"Unfortunately, we believe that out of those 300,000 plus folks, there's going to be maybe 100,000 people that are going to drop off and no longer have insurance because of those increases," said Mulready.

Mulready says that will drive up the costs for everyone else. He is also worried about the impact on rural hospitals.

"You've got 100,000 people plus or minus who don't have insurance, are going to show up at the hospital, and then your uncompensated care numbers go up," said Mulready.

Open enrollment begins November 1 and runs through January 15, 2026. If you want coverage to start on January 1, you must enroll before December 15.

"I would encourage folks to shop around, look at the details of that plan and what has changed," said Mulready.

You can find additional information about the changes for plan year 2026 and updates here. You can also contact the Oklahoma Insurance Department with any questions at (800) 522-0071.